Borowski, 36, had an outstanding season in his first campaign as Indians closer, compiling a career-high 45 saves on his way to leading the American League in saves. Joe became just the 2nd Indian to ever lead the AL outright in saves, joining Jose Mesa (46 saves) in 1995 as his 45 saves were tied for the 2nd highest single-season total in club history. Joe converted a season-high 13 straight save chances from May 20 to July 3 and from May 20 thru the end of the season he posted saves in 33 of 39 opportunities. His ERA in save situations was 3.73 (50.2IP, 53H, 21ER). He also recorded 2 saves and a 4.50 ERA in 6 postseason games for the Indians.

Byrd, 36, went 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA in 31 starts (2SHO, 192.1IP, 239H, 98ER, 28BB, 88K) in his second season in Cleveland in 2007. His 15 wins finished tied for 11th in the American League and were his highest total since 2002 with KC (17W). He led the AL in walks per 9.0IP (1.31), was tied for 11th with a .652 win % and tied for 1st with 2 CG/shutouts. He also recorded Game 4 wins in each round of the postseason for the Tribe, going 2-0 w/a 3.60 ERA in 2 starts (10.0IP, 14H, 4ER).

Fultz, 34, posted a record of 4-3 w/a 2.92 ERA in 49 games (37.0IP, 31H, 12ER, 18BB, 28K) in 2007, his first year with the Indians. Aaron posted scoreless outings in 40 of his 49 appearances as his 4 relief wins were tied for 14th among AL relievers. Aaron was on the 15-day DL from June 24 thru August 1 with a strained right intercostal muscle. Over his last 13 appearances from August 18th on his ERA was 2.19 (12.1IP, 11H, 3ER) as batters hit .182 (4-22) off him with RISP and 2 outs for the year.

No real surprise as all of the options were reasonable compared to the contracts that are sure to be doled out this off-season to the likes of Carlos Silva, Odalis Perez, and David Riske.

6 comments:

CLEVELAND -- The bobbing doll the Indians handed out at one of their home games this summer depicted Grady Sizemore in a Superman cape.

And as anyone who has seen Sizemore sacrifice his body to make leaping, diving, acrobatic grabs in center field can attest, it was an apt presentation.

Sizemore has earned a reputation for making plays in the outfield that are of the superhero variety, and that representation was solidified Tuesday when he was given his first Rawlings American League Gold Glove Award.

Managers and coaches from each Major League club vote for the best defensive players in their respective leagues and are excluded from voting for players on their own teams. Sizemore joined the Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki and the Twins' Torii Hunter in landing the AL outfield honor in '07.

Sizemore is the first Indians player to win a Gold Glove since shortstop Omar Vizquel and second baseman Roberto Alomar received the honor in 2001. He is the first Cleveland outfielder to win one since center fielder Kenny Lofton did so in 1996.

The 25-year-old Sizemore made just two errors in 405 total chances this past season. His .995 fielding percentage was the fourth-best among AL outfielders, and he also notched four assists.

In four seasons with the Tribe, Sizemore has compiled a career fielding percentage of .993.

The numbers, though, do little to describe the way Sizemore mans his position. When he risked breaking his neck to make a diving catch at the wall in Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field in September of '06, with the Indians woefully out of the playoff chase, he proved his style of play is uncompromised, regardless of the standings.

And when the Indians found themselves in meaningful games throughout '07, Sizemore, of course, continued to scale the outfield wall and skid across the grass to chase down that little white pill.

His goal is rather simple.

"As long as it goes in the glove," he said earlier this year, "you're happy."

Sizemore has made his pitching staff quite happy the last few years, as he's saved them from many a gap double.

This year, two of the best catches he made came in a single game. On May 6 in Baltimore, he made a diving, inning-ending grab with the bases loaded in the sixth inning and with another runner aboard in the eighth. The catches were instrumental in the Indians' 9-6 win over the Orioles.

"He can go from gap to gap with the best of them," teammate Trot Nixon said after that game. "Does it surprise me that he got there and made that catch? No. That's Gold Glove Grady."

Now, Sizemore has the hardware to back up the nickname.

Sizemore bumped the Blue Jays' Vernon Wells from the Gold Glove pedestal. Wells, Hunter and Suzuki had dominated the AL outfield Gold Glove voting in each of the previous three seasons.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Anyone got some good ammo/stats (besides Mo Vaungn's MVP) to throw at pissy Red Sux fans that Coco missed out on the gold glove because of Sizemore's popularity? I've read Coco should have hands down definitely gotten a gold glove this year.

we need a left fielder I can't watch another Delichaels platoonariffic season.

Do we have a chance of getting Jason Bay? That is the latest rumor? And let the young guns fight it out for right field. Choo, Gutt and Fanny Crisco. One or more of those guys is gonna have a descent career.

Stats are not always the greatest measure of ability, particularly on defense.

Sizemore, Granderson, Coco and Hunter are all outstanding fielders.

The tendency is to go with the guy you see every day because you've seen him make some amazing catches that no one can possibly dublicate. While he's making that catch, the other three are probably making the same catch at some other field in some other city, you just aren't seeing it.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To argue which of the four is the best fielder is silly, unless you saw all four play all 162 games.